PGA of America President, Derek Sprague announces on the first tee that KitchenAid has expanded its relationship with the PGA of America to become the title sponsor of the Senior PGA Championship.

KitchenAid Expands its Relationship with the PGA of America through 2024, Becomes Title Sponsor of the Senior PGA Championship

Published: Wednesday, May 25, 2016 | 3:01 p.m.

PGA of America

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. – KitchenAid, a premium brand of Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR), has expanded its partnership with the PGA of America to become the title sponsor of the Senior PGA Championship, the most historic and prestigious event in senior golf. This eight-year title sponsorship extends through 2024, and will bring the relationship between KitchenAid and the PGA of America – which began as a presenting sponsorship in 2011 – to 14 years.

This change deepens the ties between the PGA of America, KitchenAid, NBC Sports and Golf Channel. It provides the resources to launch this Championship into the future, keeping it at the forefront of senior golf and pushing the envelope for innovative player, fan, volunteer and community experiences.

KitchenAid has realized great results in terms of exposure and brand engagement since 2011. Beginning in May 2017, with the KitchenAid title sponsorship, the Championship becomes the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. KitchenAid remains the Official Home Appliance brand of the PGA of America.

The 77th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid will be conducted May 26-29, at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Michigan, with return visits to the Southwest Michigan site in 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024. Harbor Shores, in turn, becomes the home course of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.

“We’re delighted with the evolution of our relationship with KitchenAid,” said PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua. “Since 2011, KitchenAid has had an integral role in elevating this Championship to unprecedented heights, and the brand’s commitment to major championship golf enables us to collectively explore new frontiers in all areas of player, fan and sponsorship engagement.”

This agreement will yield an enhanced purse in years to come that reflects the proud tradition of the Championship and the outstanding field it attracts.

NBC Sports and Golf Channel will continue as the broadcast partners of the Championship, and provide expanded platforms for broader reach. NBC coverage currently reaches 123 countries and territories, and more than 262 million households.

“We’re proving that businesses and golf can be a part of helping to create great communities, and our KitchenAid partnership with the PGA of America, along with more than 1,700 community volunteers, have been doing just that in Benton Harbor,” said Jeff Fettig, Chairman and CEO of Whirlpool Corporation. “We received feedback from the local community and volunteers about the PGA partnership, and the response was overwhelmingly positive that the community wanted the Championship to return. The continuation and evolution of this relationship will ensure that the Benton Harbor community receives the positive national attention it deserves, while driving tourism and spurring investment in the region. Benton Harbor is a great place to live, work and play, and this Championship helps us to deliver this important message to a national and international audience.”

The partnership announcement was made today from the first tee at Harbor Shores with Championship volunteers and local community leaders.

Benton Harbor is a reflection of the commitment that the Whirlpool Corporation and the KitchenAid brand have to its local community. Fueled by public-private partnerships, Whirlpool Corporation and community leaders are creating hundreds of new jobs, building homes and bringing money and attention to the Benton Harbor area with the development of Harbor Shores.

About KitchenAid
Since the introduction of its legendary stand mixer in 1919 and first dishwasher in 1949, KitchenAid has built on the legacy of these icons to create a complete line of products designed for cooks. Today, the KitchenAid brand offers virtually every essential for the well--‐equipped kitchen with a collection that includes everything from countertop appliances to cookware, ranges to refrigerators, and whisks to wine cellars. Cook for the Cure®, the brand's partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, is now in its fifteenth year and has raised over $10.7 million to help find a cure for breast cancer. To learn more, visit www.KitchenAid.com or join us at http://facebook.com/KitchenAid and http://twitter.com/KitchenAidUSA.

About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation is the No. 1 major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 97,000 employees, and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2015. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world. Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com.

About the PGA of America
The PGA of America has a twofold mission: to serve our 28,000 members and grow interest and participation in the game of golf. The PGA of America delivers world-class championships while building the public’s interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility for everyone, everywhere. Celebrating its Centennial, the PGA represents the very best in golf. For more about the PGA of America, visit pga.org, follow @PGAofAmerica on Twitter

About the Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid
The Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid is the most historic and prestigious major championship in senior golf. Founded in 1937 at Augusta National Golf Club, the Championship is one of the PGA of America’s four pillar events, along with the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup. Many of the game’s greatest players have won the Championship’s Alfred S. Bourne Trophy – a roster that features Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin, Tom Watson and Colin Montgomerie. For more information about the Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, visit http://www.srpga.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.